TEHRAN – Iranian short film “Sheep,” written, directed, and produced by Hadi Babaeifar, won a prize at the 11th annual Asian World Film Festival (AWFF), which was held in California, the U.S.

The festival announced its jury and audience award winners at a marquee closing night ceremony on Sunday at the Culver Theater in Culver City, California, and in the Short Film competition section, “Sheep” was named first runner-up, ISNA reported.

Babaeifar received a trophy and a scholarship to the New York Film Academy, a $3,000 set-rental credit from Our Home Studios, and a DCP from The DCP Company.

A production of 2024, the 13-minute narrative film shows a little girl named Rose who lives with her mother in Tehran. Discovering that the sheep in her neighbors’ backyard are being sacrificed in a traditional ritual, she decides to save as many sheep as she can. The cast includes Rose Tabatabaie and Gelavij Alam.

Hadi Babaeifar, 42, discovered his interest in cinema at the age of 20 and bought his own camera. He studied film criticism and acting at the Karnameh Institute of Arts and Culture while simultaneously working as a photographer on several feature film sets.

When he was 32, he embarked on a directing degree in Tehran, graduating in 2018. His debut short film “Deer” premiered in the Generation section of the Berlin International Film Festival in 2022 and is the first part of his animal trilogy. “Sheep” is the second film in the trilogy.

The Asian World Film Festival (AWFF) Short Film Program is dedicated to supporting and promoting filmmaking in Asia and the work of Asian/Asian-American/Multiracial-Asian filmmakers globally.

Its mission is to showcase the diverse and talented voices of Asian filmmakers and provide a platform for their creative expression. The short film format offers a unique opportunity for filmmakers to tell powerful and impactful stories in a compact and compelling way.

By focusing on short films, it aims to provide a space for new and emerging filmmakers to showcase their work and receive recognition for their talents.

SS/SAB